Historic Headlines

On Jan. 3, 1959, President Dwight Eisenhower signed a proclamation admitting Alaska to the Union as the 49th state. The New York Times noted that the
signing included the unveiling of the new 49-star American flag.

The land that became Alaska came into U.S. possession in 1867, when William Seward, secretary of state under President Andrew Johnson, negotiated a deal to buy the 586,000-square-mile area from Russia for $7.2 million,
less than 2 cents per acre. Seward’s decision was ridiculed in the American press, who saw no potential in the vast, inhospitable and sparsely populated area.

For decades after its purchase, Alaska was derided as “Seward’s folly” or “Seward’s icebox.” This opinion
changed in 1896 with the discovery of gold in the neighboring Yukon Territory, which spurred tens of thousands of people to head to Alaska in search of gold. The gold rush also brought about a boom in mining, fishing
and trapping. Though the first statehood bill had been presented to Congress in 1916, there was little desire in either Alaska or Washington for Alaskan statehood until after World War II. During
the war, the U.S. established multiple military bases to resist Japan’s attacks on Alaska’s Aleutian Islands and prevent a potential invasion of the mainland. The military activity, along with the
completion of a major highway from Montana, led to a large population growth.

In 1946, Alaskans voted in favor of statehood in a referendum and Alaskan delegates began to lobby Congress for statehood. After years of debate, Congress voted in June 1958 to admit Alaska.

Eight months after Alaska’s admission, on Aug. 21, 1959, Hawaii became the 50th state. The 49-star remained in place until the following July
4, when it was replaced by the now-familiar 50-star flag.

Supporters of increased drilling argue that it provides jobs and will ultimately reduce U.S. dependence on foreign oil. Opponents say that the potential damage to the environment is too great to justify drilling. In
November 2011, President Obama proposed a five-year plan to drill offshore in new areas of
the Gulf of Mexico and Alaska.

What are your thoughts on offshore drilling and exploration? In your opinion, do the potential benefits
outweigh the risks of environmental catastrophe? Why or why not?

kool alaska becomes a state and becomes are bigest taritory and are coldest it was ritch in gold aniamels and trees for lumber its a butifull place and wilderness that created a new colutuer that only revamped the
american dreem. later on the pruto bay oil felds and thay created a pipelins and its a big state nerrly twice the sise of texas. it made 50 which is well nown today.

The popularly held-belief that many people at the time derided the Alaska Purchase as “Seward’s Folly” is largely incorrect. Opposition to the Alaska Purchase was generally limited to post-Civil
War Republicans who opposed then-President Andrew Johnson. Much like today, these Republicans took every opportunity to deride the Democrat’s policies. Republican-leaning newspapers claimed it was “Seward’s
Folly” to purchase Alaska, although their complaints were generally about Johnson’s policies rather than the actual merits of the Alaska Purchase itself. Non-Republican newspapers were generally
supportive of the Alaska Purchase. So it is incorrect to characterize the nation’s popular sentiment at the time as opposed to the purchase.